Nemea became known from the first feat of Hercules and the extermination of the lion that terrorized the locals. During the Byzantine period Nemea was called “Agios Georgios” (St. George) from the homonymous Byzantine church from which it was named after the famous grape variety, Agiorgitiko. The Municipality of Nemea was founded in 1840 and consists of 10 communities with a population of 10,000 inhabitants. The plain of Nemea, full of vineyards, is the largest wine-producing region in the country with a history of 2,500 years. In 1971 the area of ​​Nemea was delineated as Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) zone and includes Nemea and 16 villages spread at an altitude of 250 to 800 meters.